Energy Efficient Transportation Highlights

State, Local, & Utility Policy Updates

ALABAMA

Manufacturing

Mercedes-Benz is planning a $53.6 million manufacturing plant expansion in Tuscaloosa. The plant is expected to begin production of six all-electric models in late 2022.

FLORIDA

Electric Vehicle (EV) Roadmap & EV Infrastructure Master Plan

In Q4 2020, the Florida state Energy Office released its EV Roadmap and a status report of the EV Infrastructure Master Plan. The roadmap outlines the technical feasibility and opportunity for EV charging infrastructure in the state. The Electric Transportation Infrastructure Master Plan, being developed by the Florida Department of Transportation in partnership with the Energy Office and the FPSC, will include broad policy recommendations for electric transportation and infrastructure in Florida.

Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust (VEMT) Funds

In November, the Department of Environmental Protection announced that school districts in some of Florida’s most populous and polluted cities are eligible to share $57 million of the state’s VEMT funds to replace diesel buses with electric ones. The eligible districts include parts of Miami-Broward-Palm Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Pensacola. Florida Power & Light (FPL) Pilots: FPL proposed pilot programs for EV tariffs in June. After a public comment period, the commission approved the programs in November.

Electric Buses

In October, the first of fourteen electric buses were deployed in Orlando as part of a partnership between the City of Orlando, Orlando Utilities Commission, and Lynx.

Automated Shuttle

In November, the City of St. Petersburg, along with the transportation authority and the Florida Department of Transportation, launched an automated electric shuttle, offering free rides along Bayshore Drive.

Municipal Fleet

In December, the City of Tampa added nine EVs to its municipal fleet.

GEORGIA

Manufacturing

In November, a Turkish EV parts supplier announced plans to open its first North American manufacturing plant in Calhoun, Georgia.

Peachtree Corners

In October, the smart city of Peachtree Corners issued a request for proposals for EV equipment suppliers. Responses were due in November. Additionally, Peachtree Corners and The Ray announced the installment of the country’s first road surface solar panels on an autonomous vehicle lane.

KENTUCKY

VEMT Funds

On October 13, Governor Andy Beshear announced $8.5 million in VEMT funds will be used to replace about 170 transit and school buses with cleaner versions.

NORTH CAROLINA

VEMT Funds

On November 17, the Department of Environmental Quality issued a request for proposals to apply for some of the available $1.15 million to use for rebates to install light-duty ZEV Level 2 charging infrastructure.

Duke EV Pilots

On November 24, the North Carolina Utilities Commission approved $25 million EV pilot that allows Duke Energy’s to install and operate 280 EV charging stations and includes an electric school bus program.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Duke EV Pilots

In October, the South Carolina Public Service Commission approved a portion of Duke Energy’s proposed EV pilot programs aimed at expanding residential and fast charging networks.

Manufacturing

British EV technology supplier Arrival announced it will build its first American microfactory in York County, South Carolina. In December, the company announced it will also establish its American headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

TENNESSEE

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Rates

In November, the TVA board of directors approved a new commercial rate structure for fast charging.

General Motors Plant

In October, General Motors announced its plans to spend $2 billion to convert its assembly plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee into a plant that will produce EVs. In November, the State Funding Board approved $35 million in economic incentives for the plant. The funds will be used to retrain 2,000 employees in the new production processes.

Volkswagen Lab

Volkswagen announced plans to build a battery testing lab in Chattanooga, Tennessee that will support assembly of a new electric SUV.

VIRGINIA

Electric Buses

Since the launch of Virginia’s first electric buses this fall, the state has seen many more deployments. Fifty schools across Dominion Energy’s service territory began receiving electric buses in November. Chesterfield County recently approved Dominion to install electric bus charging stations at its schools and Louisa County received its first two electric buses in early January. In addition, Fairfax County and Dominion launched an autonomous electric shuttle bus pilot in October. Also, Hampton Roads Transit’s six electric buses were deployed along Virginia’s busiest transit route between Norfolk and Virginia Beach in November.

Clean Air Communities Program

From October to January, the Department of Environmental Quality accepted applications for the new Clean Air Communities Program, which supports public projects replacing medium- and heavy-duty diesel vehicles with electric alternatives.

Volvo Plant

In December, Volvo North America announced its plans to build a plant in Pulaski County to manufacture its battery-powered heavy-duty VNR electric truck.

Volkswagen Headquarters

Volkswagen Group of America announced a 20-year lease agreement in October to maintain and expand its North American headquarters in Fairfax.

Vehicle-to-Grid Integration

SEEA member Roanoke Electric Cooperative is working with Fermata Energy to pilot the first EV charging system equipment to meet the North American standard for two-way current. The project aims to determine the additional financial value of EV batteries.

Regional, National, & Federal Policy Updates

Drive Electric Week

The 10th annual National Drive Electric Week concluded October 4. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the majority of events were held virtually.

Car Emissions Rules

On October 8, over 200 local elected officials issued a “Clean Cars Declaration,” asking automakers to stop supporting the Trump administration’s rollback of vehicle emissions standards. In a letter on November 23, General Motors CEO Mary Barra withdrew support of the administration in the litigation. On December 4, Nissan Motor Company also withdrew its support. Chrysler, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Toyota are still parties to the litigation in support of the Trump administration. A study of 2019 model year vehicles released in January 2021 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that fuel efficiency has decreased, causing increased vehicle emissions for the first time in the last five years.

Industry Collaboration

EV manufacturers, utilities, and other technology and service launched the national Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) on November 17 with the goal of achieving 100% EVs sold by 2030. ZETA founding members include Duke Energy, Southern Company, ChargePoint, Proterra, Rivian, Siemens, Tesla, and Uber, among others. On January 12, 2021, ZETA released its policy platform. In addition, EV charging management company EV Connect announced its Partner Program with initial partners BTCPower, EVBox, and EVoCharge.

Legislation

Former President Trump signed S. 2193, the Charging Helps Agencies Realize General Efficiencies (CHARGE) Act, on October 1. The act clarifies federal agency guidance on owning and parking EVs.

Transit Research Grants

In October, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced funding for three research projects that will receive grant funding to improve the energy efficiency and affordability of public transit systems. Each of the projects, including one from the Chattanooga Regional Transportation Authority in Tennessee, received $1.75 million in joint funding from DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office and DOT’s Federal Transit Administration.

DRIVE Electric USA

In December, DOE awarded over $1.8 million to the DRIVE Electric USA project, whose goal is to substantially increase EV adoption rates across consumer and fleet markets in fourteen states. Southeast participants are Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Louisiana. SEEA’s director of energy efficient transportation, Anne Blair, is serving on the project’s Partner Advisory Committee.

Fleet Transitions

After California’s September announcement of its ban on the sale of gas- powered cars in the state by 2025, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection called for a similar ban in October. In December, the governor of Massachusetts joined California in banning the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles along the same timeline.

Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative

Honda and General Motors (GM) are leading a working group effort to develop a global standard for EV grid integration using blockchain technology. See SEEA’s report, “Introduction to Blockchain in Energy.”

Electric Trucks

In October, the National Zero-Emission Truck Coalition sent a letter to congressional leaders asking legislators to advance commercial vehicle electrification efforts. In addition, Mack Trucks unveiled an electric garbage truck.

Race to Zero Report

The Environmental Defense Fund report released in October states that commercial vehicles like trucks and buses will lead the next wave in electric mobility.

Electrifying Freight Report

A November report from the Electrification Coalition outlines barriers and solutions to electrifying the heavy-duty vehicle sector.

General Motors

In October, GM announced its plans to introduce twenty EVs by 2023. On November 19, GM announced it will spend an additional $7 billion on electric and autonomous models by 2025, bringing the total commitment to $27 billion. In Novemeber, GM named Travis Hester as the new Chief GM EV Officer.

Amazon

In October, Amazon announced plans to begin deployment of 10,000 Rivian electric vans by 2022. The company will deploy all 100,000 of the ordered vans by 2030. In November, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled nearly $800 million in grants for clean energy projects.

EV-Ready Building Codes

Three proposed changes to the International Code Council’s model codes would have facilitated electric vehicle and appliance connections. The electric-readiness proposals were ultimately left out of the final model building code.